UK Landlord Forum / Life

Hi all.
My mother in law is ill and lives with us. She wanted to rent her house out and we approached a local estate agent who were happy to find the tennent for her. They charged a massive fee and set up a six month contract. They tried to get us to let them manage the property but we declined. This contract was in my wife's name and my own, and they got my wife's name wrong, and not my mother in laws name (why I don't know), and we did not sign it, the agent did in "our absence". Before the six months was up, we wrote to the estate agent stating that we were going to manage the house for my mother in law and would not need them to renew any contract as we were going to do our own monthly rolling contract. The agent duly refunded the tenant their deposit and we undertook with the tennant a new arrangement for the deposit under the monthly rental agreement that we set up and they signed. However, we are now receiving invoices from the estate agent for "six months statutory periodic renewal fee". We ignored the first, but they have sent one again. Being new to this, we don't know what to do. If anyone can give advise we would be grateful. Thanks in advance.

Hi,

after reading your post I am a little confused, you say it's not your property however you are named on the AST? (This shouldn't happen)

When you took on your agent you will have singed a contract without reading this it is very difficult to answer what they can charge the property owner!

The agents contract should be clear and highlight all fees.

Agents must check they are dealing with the owner of the property and that they have consent to let from the morgage provider and have buildings insurance in place.

It is also now law for all letting agents to belong to a redress scheme, it has been since October 2014

I would suggest reading the contract in full

It's either written in the contract you signed with them or not.  Either way you have a few options.

1. Pay up
2. Don't pay up and see if they take it further, the only way would be bringing court action against you

Hi Riptide
There is nothing in the contract about this payment. The contract was only for 6 months as well. They have sent a couple of invoices that we have ignored but have not tried to contact us other than sending the invoices!